GCN Circular 2849
Subject
Optical transient (GRB?) in Lynx, UT Dec 11.4436
Date
2004-12-16T01:06:04Z (20 years ago)
From
Eric Christensen at U.Arizona/LPL <eric@hindmost.LPL.Arizona.EDU>
On Dec 11 we observed a stationary optical transient at the 0.68m
Catalina Schmidt telescope, during the course of surveying for near
earth asteroids. IAU Circular 8452 was issued the following day
containing our observations (R-band magnitudes):
> R.A. = 8h03m24s.60 +/- 0s.07, Decl. = +38o18'35".9 +/- 0".5 (equinox
> 2000.0)
> Dec. 11.4321 UT, [19.5; 11.4436, 15.9; 11.4549, 17.5; 11.4656, 18.2;
> 11.5073, 19.6; 11.5081, 18.9; 11.5090, 19.1; 11.5099, 19.7.
Multiple colleagues have noted that these observations approximate a
power law rate of decay.
A source that appears to be coincident with our observations has since
been located in the SDSS archives (RA 120.8528, DEC 38.30967, Src #
587728932410623203, Gunn r=21.9). The source is also visible in the
NEAT SkyMorph archives.
Radio and X-ray observations are urgently requested.
An animation of the event is posted at
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/css/burst.html
Eric Christensen
Catalina Sky Survey